Antisnoring device



NOV. 13, 1951 CLYDE 2,574,623

ANTISNORING DEVICE Filed Jan. 31, 1948 INVENTOR. Mel/77h (Kym/a,

Patented Nov. 13, 1951 Q-UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC /z;

ANTISNORING DEVICE Martin Clyde, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 31, 1948, Serial No. 5,614 I 2 Claims. (01. 128-436) I Th-isinvention relates to devices for prevent ingone from snoring while sleeping. Such devices have been constructed heretofore havingja pair of upper and lower semi-elliptical cylindrical members hinged together so as to fit within the mouth in such a manner as to expand when the mouth opens so as to maintain the entrance thereof effectively closed. However, such devices have not been practical heretofore because they have not conformed to mouth comfort requirements and have not been efficient and convenient in operation.

The primary object of this invention is to provide such a device which conforms to mouth comfort requirements. J

Another object of this invention is to provide such a device which is efficient and convenient in operation.

A further object of this invention is to pro vide such a device which embodies effective automatic supplemental air supply in case of stoppage in whole or in part of nasal passages.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a device wherein the overlapping members when closed provide flush inner and outer surfaces and which can not be closed beyond a definite point or opened beyond a definite point and between which points effective automatic closure coupled with limited supplemental air supply is provided.

A still further object of this invention is to I provide such a device which is rugged and simple and economical of manufacture.

Other and further objects of this invention will become more apparent hereinafter as the same becomes better understood from an examination of the specification and claims in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a device embodying this invention for preventing snoring;

Fig. 2 is a front view of same;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the device in expanded position;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken in a longitudinal plane through the device;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken at the line 5 -5 of Fig. 2 or Fig. 3. 1

Referring to the drawings, more particularly reference characters 1 and 2 represent lower and upper semi-elliptical cylindrical plastic members adapted to fit in the entrance to the mouth of a person sleeping so as to prevent snoring. The two members I and 2 are hinged together by plastic pivot pins 3 and 4 fixedly P in a recess in upper member 2.

mounted upon the lower member I and extending into pivot openings in the member 2. lower member I is adapted to fit between the lower lip and cheeks and the outer periphery of the lower jaw, and the upper member 2 is adapted to fit within the upper lip and cheeks and the outer periphery of the upper jaw so that as the mouth of the wearer drops open, which is when snoring usually occurs, the members I and 2 expand to maintain the mouth of the wearer effectively closed. The members are lightly but yieldingly normally held in expanded position by a light wire spring 5 one end of which extends through pivot pin I and the other is seated When the members I and 2 are in closed position they overlap as shown in Fig. 4, the upper portion of memher I being recessed to receive the overlapping portion of member 2 and the lower portion of member 2 being recessed to receive the overlapping portion of member I providing cooperating shoulders 6 and I on members I and 2 respectively engaging the lower and upper edges of the respective members 2 and 3 to both limit the overlapping movement and maintain comfortable flush surfaces during closure. The degree of opening of the members I and 2 is not only limited by the strength and character of spring 5 but also by cooperating shoulder 8 on the upper recessed edge of member I at the rear thereof and shoulder 9 which is an extension of shoulder I.

The upper edge II) of member 2 and the lower edge II of member I are shaped as shown especially in Fig. 2 to conform with the juncture of the lip and cheeks and the jaws.

Supplemental air supply openings I2 and I3 are provided in the upper marginal recessed portion of member I. These are covered when the device is closed and. are proportionately uncovered in a degree corresponding to the amount of expansion of the device upon a corresponding degree of opening of the mouth of the wearer so as to provide an automatic supplemental air supply of limited amount which is not sufficient to induce snoring but sufficient to supplement the nasal passages as required and as indicated by the extent of mouth opening.

The advantages and operation of the aforedescribed device from the standpoints of ruggedness, mouth comfort of the wearer, automaticity of effective supplemental air control and other features will be apparent without further description.

I am aware that many changes may be made The Y and details varied without departing from the principles of my invention and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown or described.

I claim: 7

1. In an anti-snoring device, a pair of semiannular members hinged together and adapted to overlap each other when closed, and yieldable means for causing them to expand, said members being provided with interengaging shoulders for limiting the overlapping closed position of said members, said members being oppositely recessed to provide inter-engaging co-extensive, overlapping marginal portions extending from their respective adjacent edges to said shoulders.

2. In an anti-snoring device, a pair of semiannulanmembers hinged together and adapted to overlap each other when closed, and yieldable means for causing them to expand, said members being provided with interengaging shoulders for limiting the overlapping closed position of said members, said members being oppositely recessed to provide inter-engaging co-extensive, overlapping marginal portions extending from their respective adjacent edges to said shoulders, the recessed marginal portion on one of said members being predeterminedly apertured to uncover a predetermined additional portion of such aperture as the members expand to permit a predetermined acceleration of air admission therethrough as the expansion increases.

MARTIN CLYDE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,424,533 Faires July 22, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 666,588 Germany Nov. 3, 1938 

